Thread: Advice on Choice

Depends on what you do/plan to do. I rarely use my bandsaw, preffering to use my tablesaw for anything that doesn't need to be curved. I have both a jointer and a thicknesser (well actually 2 of each at the moment , anyone wanto to buy a 6" jointer?). I would get a thicknesser first as it will free you from buying DAR stock and save you money so you can afford (some time in the not too distant future, hopefully) to buy the others. You can use a sled in the thicknesser to joint boards, or you can use winding sticks and an electric planer to get it pretty close, pass it through the thicknesser till the top is flat, then flip it over to true up the face you jointed by hand. Worked for me for years. Your $400 would just stretch to a jointer and a cheapish jigsaw and electric planer. This would give you the ability to joint, thickness and cut curves.

Mick

Righto Mick, you have now made me as undecided as I was when I first posted the question :eek:.

I do have a couple of questions for you though:

1. What are winding stick WRT an electric plane (which I have)?
2. What do you mean by a sled WRT a thicknesser?

Thanks in advance.

G'day Gazaly,

Winding stick are just two bits of timber with no bows etc., all faces are perpendicular to each other that are placed at either end of your stock. Then with one of those things in your eye socket you look up the length of your stock to check for bows etc.

A search will show up what I'm talking on about and explain it better too.

Originally Posted by Wongo

Something like this?? 2 surfaces are both square to the sides doesn’t make them parallel to each other.

Also it is easy plane the sides square by putting the base against the fence. It will be very difficult (or impossible) to put the thin side against the fence to plane the other base flat.

Actually, I think that shows 2 sides at 90 degrees to the base, the top is not at 90 degrees to either of the blue sides...... Which is similar to what I meant - just in this case the example shows how to get 2 sides parallel, by having them at 90 degrees to the same (base). If the diagram was rotated 90 degrees, it would be a perfect representation of what I meant.

But it's not worth caring enough about

Originally Posted by gazaly

Righto Mick, you have now made me as undecided as I was when I first posted the question :eek:.

I do have a couple of questions for you though:

1. What are winding stick WRT an electric plane (which I have)?
2. What do you mean by a sled WRT a thicknesser?

Thanks in advance.

wrt question 2.

There are 2 things that a thicknesser sled can refer to. The first is simply a replacement base, giving a very flat run right through the thicknesser, in an effort to relieve snipe.

The real use for a sled in a thicknesser, as the sled runners provide a true surface for the stock to ride on (and it needs to be secured to the runners for this), which means the top surface gets made parallel to the runners, turning the thicknesser into a planer.

I have done a small article on this in the past - will try to track it down.

Originally Posted by Stuart.

I have done a small article on this in the past - will try to track it down.

Thanks Stu, that would be great.

have you considered the h and f bp 14a bandsaw? $419

or is it too cheap for a 14 inch bs?

I would definitely follow Mick's advice on this occasion. In fact on most occasions he offers very good advice. His advice would agree with my advice on this occasion. Go with Mick's and my advice.

Originally Posted by Bob Willson

I would definitely follow Mick's advice on this occasion. In fact on most occasions he offers very good advice. His advice would agree with my advice on this occasion. Go with Mick's and my advice.

Thank you Dr Seuss

Originally Posted by Bob Willson

I would definitely follow Mick's advice on this occasion. In fact on most occasions he offers very good advice. His advice would agree with my advice on this occasion. Go with Mick's and my advice.

Yeah, I'd follow Mick's advice too, if I hadn't already said it twice...

Well I would too if I didnt want to resaw or cut curves etc... but theres always compromise... I only had a table saw until recently and hopin for the best with a small thicknesser but since getting the new t/s and new bandsaw plus jointer an thicknesser I use the b/s more than the t/s nowadays and the jointer/thicknesser always most used tools in the shed those two... BY FAR!!... but till I set it up properly I was using the table saw for pretty much everything... see compromise easy as!

I would hate to think of the botchups I would have made of the recent hinges without the bandsaw!

I defer to Mick old phart status but remain constant in my opinion Bandsaw first... if you have a tablesaw if no tablesaw then thats first!

The H&F site says that the BP-250 (couldnt find a BAS-250) is $299 is that the one?

Check your emails mate

OK someone please help me out here. How do you use a jointer to plane a piece of wood to a uniform thickness and width? Step by step please. Seriously I am keen to learn.

Sorry for hijacking your thread gazaly.

[quote=Wongo;377530]OK someone please help me out here. How do you use a jointer to plane a piece of wood to a uniform thickness and width? Step by step please. [quote]

I don't believe that you do. Uniform thickness is done with a thicknesser. The jointer is used to make a flat face to sit on the thicknesser bed .

Or am I missing the point of the question.

Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

I have both a jointer and a thicknesser (well actually 2 of each at the moment ,

Mick

Showing off there a bit Mick